The fiber - nutrition

Recommendations by doctors and nutritionists to add fiber-rich foods to our diet are becoming more and more common. Although fiber does not solve any nutritional function, and is not involved in the basic metabolic processes of our organism, its beneficial effects are undeniable. Ingesting fiber brings with it various positive impacts on the health of the individual, leads to positive physiological processes and also helps in the prevention of chronic degenerative diseases.

Dietary fiber: is a complex of substances contained in foods of vegetable origin, which are not digested and assimilated in the small intestine, and undergo total or partial fermentation in the large intestine.

Fiber composition:

• Cellulose: It is integrated in the vegetable cell wall. It is found in wholemeal flours and vegetables such as chickpeas, spinach and artichokes.

• Hemicellulose: combination of glucose, galactose and other substances that make up insoluble plant fibers. It is found in whole grains and bran.

• Pectics: These are polymers found in fruit peel or citrus pulp. Intestinal microorganisms ferment it, thus increasing the mass of feces.

• Resistant starch: In potatoes, for example, some starches are characterized by difficulty in digestion. It should be said that this so-called "resistant starch" can be broken down by the microflora of the large intestine and, given the process, has properties similar to those of fiber. They are found in tubers such as potatoes and seeds.

• Inulin: A kind of carbohydrate that is never digested by digestive enzymes. It is found in onions, garlic, cardoons and artichokes.

• Lignin: a compound of high doses of phenylpropyl acid and alcohol to form an insoluble fiber that can bind and transport other substances through the digestive system. It is located in the tougher, woody areas of vegetables such as chard and lettuce.

• Gum: a soluble fiber composed of uronic acid, xylose, arabinose or mannose such as guar gum, gum arabic and snail gum.

• Mucus: a polysaccharide secreted by plants. Some mucus has a laxative function. They are found in acacia and tomato seeds, for example.

Functions of dietary fiber:

• Reduce bowel movement, increase the number of bowel movements and thus prevent constipation.

• They slow down the assimilation of ingested sugars and fats, decreasing the final amount of energy.

• Pectin, which is soluble in water, helps to maintain low cholesterol levels, which is feasible for the prevention and treatment of hypercholesterolemia.

• There is a notion about how the volume of fiber that passes through the colon, subtracts bile acids and carcinogens, thus reducing the risk of developing colon cancer.

• It increases the feeling of satiety in each meal, so that it regulates what we consume and avoids falling into obesity. All this translates into a decrease in the risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases.

• In general, it contributes to gastrointestinal health and functionality.

• It promotes the development of the ideal bacterial flora.

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